Article about non-traditional treatments

[dorkman53]

The board has had numerous discussions about dubious treatments through the years, including various bracelets, "magnetic" treatments, or products that help "ionize" the blood (as if blood wasn't already full of ions.)

Here is an article that points out the power of the placebo effect, and the fallacy of accepting any "treatment" that is promoted by testimonials vs. a masked trial to weed out the placebo effect.

Of course, the naive will say, "I don't care why it works; it worked for me, and that's all that matters." Fine, it's their money that they've wasted on the huckster's worthless nostrums, and they have proven they are simply kidding themselves.

Hey, if people want placebos, I should open up an online business selling placebos at a reduced price vs. the much higher prices most people pay to the shysters. There should be a good market for bargain prices on worthless products vs. paying the full, inflated prices for worthless products. In this economy, every wasted dollar counts.

The trouble is, a website called "Placebos-R-US" wouldn't work, because placebos only work when people don't realize "it's just a placebo."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091110/...VydHNwbGFjZQ--

[Kiwi Player]

Although I have never tried any alternative medicine I am open to trying them because I feel that western doctors are just glorified pharmacists. They diagnose you and then prescribe a drug that will cure you when there are probably more natural ways to be cured without the potential side effects of the prescription drugs. Also having seen it from the inside (I've worked for a big Pharmaceutical company) I know how corrupt the Pharmaceutical industry is.

Cholesterol lowering drugs have to be a classic example of this. Rather than get people to change their lifestyle through diet and exercise let's just take a drug instead to artificially get a better reading in the cholesterol test.

I have been asthmatic all my life and have used various drugs and inhalers to relieve (not cure) the symptoms. About 6-7 years ago I went on one of those low carb/high protein 'fad' diets and in addition to quickly dropping about 10 kg my asthma cleared up literally overnight. I haven't used a single prescription drug to treat my asthma since. When my GP asked how my asthma was I told him it had completely cleared up. He was immediately curious to know 'how' this had happened but when I tried to explain his eyes glazed over and he didn't want to know. Obviously not in the textbooks he reads so it can't be correct. He insisted on writing out a script for more asthma medication anyway, which I never bothered to collect.

About two years ago after some minor surgery my doctor prescribed some antibiotics, to 'prevent' infection. After taking it only a couple of days (of a 5 day course) I felt so lousy that I went back to the doctor and they ran a series of tests that showed that the antibiotic had seriously put the boot into my liver and left me in the same state as if I had just suffered hepatitis. I was crook for months while my liver 'naturally' repaired itself.

A friend of mine suffered a similar experience but his kidney suffered. Unfortunately for him the kidneys don't bounce back like the liver does and he ended up needing a kidney transplant

So I am very wary now of taking any prescription drugs unnecessarily.

[dorkman53]

No question that:
1) Medications rather than lifestyle change tend to be stressed by some doctors
2) All medications have usually infrequent, but potential mild and/or serious side effects

However, many people are unwilling or unable to change their destructive lifestyles, and many diseases cannot be altered by lifestyle modification alone. Medications will always have their place.

However, to get approved by the FDA in the US, a medication has to be proven to be more effective than placebo, and have a reasonably favorable risk/reward benefit/risk profile, something that herbal "dietary supplements" almost never bother to prove. A good testimonial is all they need, as "true believers" with an economic incentive.

[lorenzoinoc]

I've never had any use for placebos, but some women prefer them to the real thing. That doesn't necessarily intimidate me, unless we're talking about a woman that likes a high powered vibrating electric placebo. Then I might feel just a little threatened.

[Mizuno>Ping]

I've never had any use for placebos, but some women prefer them to the real thing. That doesn't necessarily intimidate me, unless we're talking about a woman that likes a high powered vibrating electric placebo. Then I might feel just a little threatened.

Probably that placebo ain't thick enough for her cave.

[Horseballs]

No question that:
1) Medications rather than lifestyle change tend to be stressed by some doctors
2) All medications have usually infrequent, but potential mild and/or serious side effects

However, many people are unwilling or unable to change their destructive lifestyles, and many diseases cannot be altered by lifestyle modification alone. Medications will always have their place.

However, to get approved by the FDA in the US, a medication has to be proven to be more effective than placebo, and have a reasonably favorable risk/reward benefit/risk profile, something that herbal "dietary supplements" almost never bother to prove. A good testimonial is all they need, as "true believers" with an economic incentive.

Whenever I get a serious side effect from medication, I just throw a magnet on my sacral chakra. Problem solved.

[noshuz]

I had success treating a case of the crabs using alternative medicine. Although I didn't like the idea of coating my nutsack with chinese hot mustard, sticking a goose feather up my ass and chanting rapper style, "sweet liberty of life at last I've found you" for an hour.......I'm still a little itchy but it's better than it was before.......

[dorkman53]

Whenever I get a serious side effect from medication, I just throw a magnet on my sacral chakra. Problem solved.

I just sit under my pyramid and put on my magnetic shoes, AFTER I've used those strips that pull the toxins out of the soles of my feet.

[Kiwi Player]

I just sit under my pyramid and put on my magnetic shoes, AFTER I've used those strips that pull the toxins out of the soles of my feet.

I just light up some inscents, play some soothing asian music, sit crossed legged and chant "OOOOOOHHHHHHHMMMMMM" repeatedly.

Great for hangovers.

[Kiwi Player]

I had success treating a case of the crabs using alternative medicine. Although I didn't like the idea of coating my nutsack with chinese hot mustard, sticking a goose feather up my ass and chanting rapper style, "sweet liberty of life at last I've found you" for an hour.......I'm still a little itchy but it's better than it was before.......

A mate of mine had crabs when we were young fellas. He was too tight to buy the shampoo so he shaved all his pubs off. I guess you could call it an early, do it yourself Brazilian.

[Horseballs]

A mate of mine had crabs when we were young fellas. He was too tight to buy the shampoo so he shaved all his pubs off. I guess you could call it an early, do it yourself Brazilian.

I discovered I had crabs on Thanksgiving night when I was home from college. It's not easy coming up with an excuse for why you need to go to the pharmacy ASAP on Thanksgiving.

[The Purist]

I just light up some inscents, play some soothing asian music, sit crossed legged and chant "OOOOOOHHHHHHHMMMMMM" repeatedly.

Great for hangovers.

I go on a liquid diet, take natural laxatives, and flush water up my ass...nothing cleanses the body like a little colon irrigation.

[lorenzoinoc]

A mate of mine had crabs when we were young fellas.

I'm sure this is something lost in translation between British and American dialects. At least I choose to look at it that way.

It is, however, further proof you're really not at 4,000.

[Kiwi Player]

I'm sure this is something lost in translation between British and American dialects. At least I choose to look at it that way.

It is, however, further proof you're really not at 4,000.

OK for you ESOL types how about this:

A friend of mine had crabs when we were teenage young men.

[dorkman53]

OK for you ESOL types how about this:

A friend of mine had crabs when we were teenage young men.

Scabies, pubic lice, Hermit Crabs or Alaskan King Crabs?......
How about gonorrhea or chlamydia?
Inquiring minds want to know......

[Kiwi Player]

Scabies, pubic lice, Hermit Crabs or Alaskan King Crabs?......
How about gonorrhea or chlamydia?
Inquiring minds want to know......

pubic lice

[noshuz]

Sorry dorkman, It seems I've taken this thread to the gutter in record time.....

[dorkman53]

Sorry dorkman, It seems I've taken this thread to the gutter in record time.....

On GR, how would one know the difference?

[noshuz]

On GR, how would one know the difference?

How true my brutha!